What You Will Learn

The Management Development Program prepares you to become a better leader of your unit, department or college, as well as a more valuable contributor to broader institutional goals.

Program Overview

As a middle manager in higher education, you face a distinctive set of leadership challenges. You are responsible for leading your administrative units, crafting strategy, motivating staff and allocating financial resources, but are also expected to enact the vision of senior leadership and mobilize support for broader institutional goals. To be successful, you must be able to effectively manage both “up” and “down” the organizational hierarchy.

Through real-world case studies, small group discussions and interactive presentations, MDP teaches you to think beyond your own discipline and lead in ways that support larger institutional objectives. You will gain a deeper understanding of how different units function and will be able to incorporate broader strategic considerations into your management decisions. MDP provides the tools and insight to think more strategically, balance the demands of colleagues and spend more time providing forward-thinking leadership.

Program Objectives

• Identify the characteristics of effective leadership in higher education
• Develop and manage effective leadership teams
• Identify the features of “change-friendly” institutions that foster institutional transformation
• Understand your optimal role in planning initiatives 
• Analyze financial data and understand how funds are allocated and budgets are created
• Consider the ethical dimensions of educational leadership
• Identify the conditions—both individual and institutional—that increase opportunities for professional development and personal transformation
• Function as an effective change agent

Who Should Attend

• Mid-level administrators in the early years of their careers
• Deans, directors and department heads

Testimonials and Stories

"MDP was a career-altering and personally satisfying experience that I am proud to have been a part of. I return to my campus a better listener, a better team member, and hopefully a better leader."
Susan Sarisky
Director of Admission
Lebanon Valley College

"MDP is a tremendous opportunity for higher education leaders. My university has pledged to send one person each year to the program as a way to enhance our leadership potential. I look forward to working with my fellow graduates to strengthen our institution."
Mary Parker
Chair, Department of Criminal Justice
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

"I enjoyed the intensity and pace of MDP. It was a broadening experience. The program is of great import, yet is delivered in both a professionally stimulating and fun way."
Carla Knorowski
Associate Dean, Development and External Affairs
University of Illinois at Chicago

"Words cannot express how impressed I was with MDP. I gained knowledge and a sense of community that were unparalleled in my professional experience."
Celia Lloyd
Senior Registrar & Director of Student Information System City College of New York

Faculty Chair

Joseph Zolner is Lecturer on Education and Senior Director of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education at HGSE. As HIHE Director, he is responsible for the quality, relevance and variety of professional development programs offered by HGSE for the higher education community. Previously, Zolner served as Director of the Graduate Management Institute at Union College, NY and Director of the Graduate School of Business Administration at Northeastern University, MA.

Additional Faculty

Kent Chabotar, President, Guilford College (NC)
Carlos Cortés, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Riverside
James Honan, Senior Lecturer on Education, HGSE
Lisa Lahey, Associate Director, Change Leadership Group, HGSE

Enrollment Instructions

MDP is designed as a developmental experience for those with significant administrative responsibility in an institution of higher education who demonstrate high potential for making substantive future contributions. It is not designed for full-time faculty members or others without current administrative duties.

Admission to MDP is competitive; we regret that we are unable to accommodate all qualified applicants. Your personal statement is a key part of the application. Effective statements provide a clear and detailed explanation of why MDP makes sense at this stage of your professional career and what you expect to gain from the program.

Applicants are responsible for securing two recommendations, one from an immediate supervisor, and a second from a colleague who can comment on professional accomplishments and future potential.

The Admissions Committee office has a network of alumni willing to talk with those considering the program. Let us know if you would like to speak with one or more former participants from a similar institution or with comparable professional responsibilities.

Applications will be accepted beginning in the fall.

Fees

The program fee covers tuition, instructional materials, special events and some meals. Payment is due following acceptance.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be submitted via fax or email. Full refunds will be given up to 30 days prior to the start of the program. Due to program demand and pre-institute preparations, cancellations received 29–14 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of 10% of the program tuition. Cancellations received within 13 days prior to the start of the program and no-shows are subject to the full program tuition. Please note: cancellation fees are based upon the date the written request is received.

Since the Harvard Graduate School of Education is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other expenses incurred, it is recommended that you not make lodging and travel arrangements until you are admitted to the program. The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. In the unlikely event of program changes, the school is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning expenses incurred.